Method for electrically connecting to window heater of vehicular liftgate window assembly

ABSTRACT

A method for providing electrical connection to a heater grid outside of a sealing area of a vehicular rear liftgate window assembly includes providing a glass window panel configured to be pivotally mounted at a vehicle and (i) establishing a heater grid at a central region of an inner surface of the glass window panel, (ii) establishing busbars at the inner surface inboard of a perimeter region and at terminal ends of the electrically conductive traces, and (iii) establishing busbar connecting portions at the inner surface that electrically connect to and extend from the respective busbars across the perimeter region to an outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. The perimeter region includes a sealing region that contacts a seal at the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/702,802, filed Sep. 13, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,843,644, which claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/395,582, filed Sep. 16, 2016, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rear window assembly for a vehicle and, more particularly, a rear liftgate window assembly for a SUV or crossover vehicle or station wagon or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide a rear liftgate window assembly for a rear opening of a vehicle. Such liftgate window assemblies are pivotable between a closed state and an opened state. The glass window panel of the liftgate often has a heater grid established thereat, with electrical wire connections made to the heater grid at the window panel (see FIG. 1). In order to avoid rubbing of the seal against the heater grid, the wiring and busbars of the heater grid are inboard or inside the region of the window where the seal of the vehicle will contact the window panel when the liftgate is closed, which results in the connectors and wiring being visible to a person viewing the window from inside the vehicle when the liftgate is closed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a rear liftgate window assembly that includes a heater grid with the electrical connections established outboard of where a seal of the vehicle will contact the window panel when the liftgate is closed. Thus, the electrical connectors and wiring are disposed outboard of the vehicle seal (such as at a black-out area or ceramic frit area of the window panel) and thus are hidden from view by the interior vehicle trim panels when the liftgate is closed. A busbar tab is disposed at the window panel outboard of the heater grid busbar and spans the area or region where the vehicle seal contacts the window panel when the liftgate is closed (which is the area or region between the heater grid busbar and the electrical connector or contact at the window panel). A protective strip or tape may be applied at the busbar tab so that the seal does not contact and rub against the busbar tab when the liftgate is closed.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a rear liftgate window assembly having known electrical connections for a heater grid;

FIG. 2 is an interior elevation of a liftgate window assembly of the present invention, having electrical connection to the heater grid outboard of a sealing region;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connection of FIG. 2, showing an outboard electrical busbar with a protective tape at the busbar to limit the busbar from contacting the seal when the liftgate is closed;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the electrical connection of FIG. 2, showing the seal contacting the protective tape at the busbar; and

FIG. 5 is an interior elevation of another liftgate window assembly of the present invention, shown with busbars extending upward from the outboard region for electrical connection to wiring or circuitry of the vehicle at an upper region of the liftgate window assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a rear liftgate window assembly 10 for a vehicle (such as a SUV or the like) is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and is pivotable between an opened position, where the window panel is pivoted or lifted upward to open a rear portion of the vehicle, and a closed position, where the window panel is pivoted or lowered to close the rear portion of the vehicle. The rear liftgate window assembly 10 includes a window panel 12 (which may cooperate with a fixed or movable lower rear panel or door or liftgate of the vehicle to close the rear portion of the vehicle). The window assembly 10 includes a heater grid 14 disposed at the interior surface of the glass window panel 12. The heater grid 14 comprises conductive traces 14 a and busbars 14 b that are electrically powered via an electrical connector 16 at opposite side regions of the window panel 12, with the electrical connectors 16 being laterally outboard of where a seal 18 (FIG. 4) of the vehicle contacts the inner surface of the window panel 12 when the liftgate is closed, as discussed below.

In the illustrated embodiment, the heater grid 14 comprises a plurality of electrically conductive horizontal traces 14 a disposed at the glass window panel between vertical busbars 14 b. The electrical terminals or connectors 16 are disposed at or attached at busbars or busbar tabs 20, which are disposed at the window panel outboard from vertical busbars 14 b. Electrical power is provided to the heater grid traces (and associated busbars) when the connectors 16 are electrically connected to vehicle wiring and powered. The electrically conductive heater grid or heating element thus is established at the window panel (such as at or on an interior surface of the window panel) and is electrically conductively connected to (or is otherwise in electrical conductive continuity with) a power source of the vehicle and may be powered (such as responsive to a user actuatable input or switch or button of the vehicle or responsive to a sensor or accessory of the vehicle) to heat or defrost or defog the window panel. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of electrically conductive traces extend across the window panel between the vertical busbars to provide enhanced and more uniform heating and defrosting/defogging of the window panel.

The seal 18 is disposed at the vehicle rear opening and circumscribes the vehicle opening. As shown in FIG. 4, when the liftgate is closed, the seal 18 contacts the inner surface of the window panel 14 to seal against the inner surface to limit air and water intrusion when the liftgate is closed. The seal contacts the inner surface of the closed window panel along upper and lower regions above and below the heater grid and busbars and side regions outboard of the heater grid 14. The upper, lower and side regions of the window panel where the seal contacts the window panel are preferably regions of the window panel that include a dark or opaque or non-light-transmitting coating or frit layer 24 that circumscribes a transparent (or tinted) portion of the window panel through which the driver of the vehicle can view to see rearward of the vehicle. The busbars or busbar tabs 20 are in electrical conductive continuity with the busbars 14 b of the heater grid 14 and extend outboard from the respective busbar 14 b and span the region where the seal contacts the window panel, whereby the electrical connector 16 is disposed at or near an outboard end of each busbar 20 (outboard of the seal region). As can be seen with reference to FIG. 4, the seal 18 contacts the inner surface of the closed window panel at the busbar 20 and outboard of the heater grid busbar 14 b and inboard of the connector 16.

Optionally, and desirably, a protective element or tape or strip or patch 22 may be provided at the busbars 20. The protective tape 22 is disposed over the busbars at the inner surface of the window panel at the region where the seal 18 contacts the inner surface of the window panel when the liftgate is closed. The electrical connectors 16 and busbars 20 and protective tape 22 are preferably disposed at a region of the window pane where the dark or opaque or non-light-transmitting coating or frit layer 24 is disposed, such that the electrical connectors and protective tape are not viewable to a person viewing the rear window panel from exterior of the vehicle when the window panel is closed. The protective tape 22 may comprise an adhesive tape or strip that may be adhered at the inner surface of window panel over the frit layer 24 and busbar tab 20.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 5, a liftgate window assembly 110 includes a heater grid 114 having heater traces 114 a and vertical busbars 114 b, with busbars or busbar tabs 120 disposed at the inner surface of the window panel 112 and extending outboard of the busbars 114 b and spanning the region of the window panel that contacts the seal (when the window is closed) and extending upward along the window panel, such that electrical connection to the busbars 120 may be made at an upper region of the window panel, such that the electrical wiring of the vehicle (that electrically connects to the busbars 120) is not visible or is at least partially hidden from view when the liftgate is opened or closed. The liftgate window assembly 110 includes protective tape or strips 122 (that may be adhered or otherwise attached at the inner surface of the window panel) at the busbars 120 at the region of the busbars that would otherwise contact the vehicle seal when the liftgate is closed. The liftgate window assembly 110 may otherwise be similar to the liftgate window assembly 10, discussed above, such that a detailed discussion of the assemblies need not be repeated herein.

The electrical connection to the busbars 20, 120 may comprise any suitable electrical connection, such as a tab or snap that is attached or soldered at the busbars (where a wire connector may receive the connection or press-fit or snap or otherwise attach to the connection). Clearly, other means for electrically connecting the electrical connectors to a wiring harness or circuitry of the vehicle may be implemented while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the heater grid and conductive traces and electrical connections may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,881,458; 8,402,695; 7,274,501; 7,184,190 and/or 7,255,451, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

In the illustrated embodiment, the liftgate window assembly comprises a separately openable window panel assembly, where the liftgate window may be opened separately from the lower rear panel or door of the vehicle. Optionally, the liftgate window assembly may open and close with the rear panel or door, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The liftgate may include hinge supports, strut supports (that may hold or attach an end of a gas-assist spring or strut at the window panel) and a latch element, which may be bonded to the inner surface of the glass window panel (such as at regions where the opaque frit layer is disposed), such that the liftgate window assembly does not require any frame portions or trim elements or the like. The hinge supports and/or strut supports and/or latch elements may be adhesively bonded at the glass window panel by utilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,853,895 and/or 5,551,197, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Therefore, the rear liftgate window assembly of the present invention provides a heater grid at the glass window panel that is electrically connected to one or more electrical connectors of the vehicle at a location outboard of where the seal of the vehicle will contact the inner surface of the window panel when the liftgate is closed. A protective element or strip or tape may be disposed at the busbars that span between the connectors and the heater grid to electrically connect the heater grid to the electrical connectors, with the tape being disposed at the location where the vehicle seal would otherwise contact the busbars when the liftgate is closed.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law. 

1. A method for providing electrical connection to a window heater outside of a sealing area of a vehicular rear liftgate window assembly, the method comprising: providing a glass window panel configured to be pivotally mounted at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to be pivotable between a closed position, where the glass window panel is disposed at a rear opening of the vehicle and against a seal that circumscribes the rear opening of the vehicle, and an opened position, where the glass window panel is raised to a generally horizontal orientation; establishing a window heater at a central region of an inner surface of the glass window panel, the window heater comprising a plurality of electrically conductive traces established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of a perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel; establishing busbars at the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of the perimeter region and at respective terminal ends of the plurality of electrically conductive traces; establishing a pair of busbar connecting portions at the inner surface of the glass window panel, wherein the busbar connecting portions electrically connect to and extend from the respective busbars across the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel to an outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel that is outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel; electrically connecting electrical connectors to the busbar connecting portions at the outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, wherein the electrical connectors are configured to electrically connect to a power source of the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle; and wherein the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel comprises a sealing region that contacts a seal at the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing a protective covering element at each of the busbar connecting portions at the perimeter region to limit the seal contacting the busbar connecting portions when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein disposing the protective covering element comprises adhesively attaching a protective tape to the inner surface of the glass window panel and over a portion of each of the busbar connecting portions at the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the pair of busbar connecting portions comprises establishing first and second busbar connecting portions, and wherein establishing the first and second busbar connecting portions comprises (i) establishing an outboard portion of the first busbar connecting portion at a first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and (ii) establishing an outboard portion of the second busbar connecting portion at a second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel is at an opposite side of glass window panel from the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the busbars and the plurality of electrically conductive traces of the window heater are established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel between the first outboard region and the second outboard region.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein electrically connecting electrical connectors to the busbar connecting portions comprises (i) electrically connecting a positive electrical connector at the first busbar connecting portion at the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel and (ii) electrically connecting a negative electrical connector at the second busbar connecting portion at the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel.
 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the outboard portion of the first busbar connecting portion extends upward toward an upper region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the outboard portion of the second busbar connecting portion extends upward toward the upper region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the electrical connectors are electrically connected to the first and second busbar connecting portions at the upper region of the inner surface of the glass window panel.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the busbar connecting portions are established at the inner surface of the glass window panel and extend upward toward an upper region of the outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the electrical connectors are electrically connected to the busbar connecting portions at the upper region of the outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein electrically connecting electrical connectors to the busbar connecting portions comprises soldering the electrical connectors to the busbar connecting portions.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical connectors comprise tab-type connectors.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical connectors comprise snap-type connectors.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the glass window panel has a non-light-transmitting coating established at the outboard region at least where the busbar connecting portions are established.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the non-light-transmitting coating circumscribes a transparent region of the glass window panel, and wherein the plurality of electrically conductive traces of the window heater are established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel at the transparent region.
 14. A method for providing electrical connection to a window heater outside of a sealing area of a vehicular rear liftgate window assembly, the method comprising: providing a glass window panel configured to be pivotally mounted at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to be pivotable between a closed position, where the glass window panel is disposed at a rear opening of the vehicle and against a seal that circumscribes the rear opening of the vehicle, and an opened position, where the glass window panel is raised to a generally horizontal orientation; establishing a window heater at a central region of an inner surface of the glass window panel, the window heater comprising a plurality of electrically conductive traces established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of a perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel; establishing a first busbar at the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of the perimeter region and at first terminal ends of the plurality of electrically conductive traces; establishing a second busbar at the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of the perimeter region and at second terminal ends of the plurality of electrically conductive traces; establishing a first busbar connecting portion at the inner surface of the glass window panel, wherein the first busbar connecting portion electrically connects to and extends from the first busbar across the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel to a first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel that is outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel; establishing a second busbar connecting portion at the inner surface of the glass window panel, wherein the second busbar connecting portion electrically connects to and extends from the second busbar across the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel to a second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel that is outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel; electrically connecting a positive electrical connector at the first busbar connecting portion at the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel; electrically connecting a negative electrical connector at the second busbar connecting portion at the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel; wherein the glass window panel has a non-light-transmitting coating established at the first and second outboard regions at least where the first and second busbar connecting portions are established; wherein the positive and negative electrical connectors are configured to electrically connect to a power source of the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle; and wherein the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel comprises a sealing region that contacts a seal at the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising disposing a first protective covering element at the first busbar connecting portion at the perimeter region and disposing a second protective covering element at the second busbar connecting portion at the perimeter region to limit the seal contacting the first and second busbar connecting portions when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein disposing the first and second protective covering elements comprises (i) adhesively attaching a first protective tape to the inner surface of the glass window panel and over a portion of the first busbar connecting portion at the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel and (ii) adhesively attaching a second protective tape to the inner surface of the glass window panel and over a portion of the second busbar connecting portion at the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel is at an opposite side of glass window panel from the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the first and second busbars and the plurality of electrically conductive traces of the window heater are established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel between the first outboard region and the second outboard region.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first busbar connecting portion extends upward toward an upper region of the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the positive electrical connector is electrically connected to the first busbar connecting portion at the upper region of the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the second busbar connecting portion extends upward toward an upper region of the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the negative electrical connector is electrically connected to the second busbar connecting portion at the upper region of the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel.
 19. The method of claim 14, wherein electrically connecting the positive electrical connector to the first busbar connecting portion comprises soldering the positive electrical connector to the first busbar connecting portion, and wherein electrically connecting the negative electrical connector to the second busbar connecting portion comprises soldering the negative electrical connector to the second busbar connecting portion.
 20. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-light-transmitting coating circumscribes a transparent region of the glass window panel, and wherein the plurality of electrically conductive traces of the window heater are established at the inner surface of the glass window panel at the transparent region. 